GoFundMe for Ocasio-Cortez’s grandmother raises over $104K, family refuses money

June 7, 2021 Amber Coakley US 0

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has used her sudden fame as a platform to endorse and promote fellow insurgents across the country in their primary challenges against Democratic incumbents. | Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

FILE – Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is pictured. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:22 AM PT – Monday, June 7, 2021

A conservative news writer and commentator is urging Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to put her money where her mouth is. Matt Walsh, an employee of the Daily Wire, took aim at Ocasio-Cortez Friday for virtue signaling in a tweet about her grandmother’s home in Puerto Rico.

On Thursday, the progressive lawmaker took to Twitter to blame President Trump for her grandmother’s home falling into disrepair following Hurricane Maria. On his talk show, Walsh questioned why Ocasio-Cortez was not reaching into her own pockets to help with critics also pointing out that the Democrat drives a luxury car and has two apartments, but can’t offer any assistance.

When she responded, however, Ocasio-Cortez said she was not just focusing on her grandmother, but “the systemic injustices.”

You don’t even have a concept for the role that 1st-gen, first-born daughters play in their families.

My abuela is okay. But instead of only caring for mine & letting others suffer, I’m calling attention to the systemic injustices you seem totally fine w/ in having a US colony. https://t.co/QN0ZVoyDt2

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 2, 2021

Walsh, instead, turned to a popular crowdfunding site to raise money for her grandmother. The GoFundMe dubbed Save AOC’s Abuela’s Ancestral Home had a goal of raising nearly $49,000. Walsh kicked off the donations with a contribution of $499 himself with other names in conservative news, such as Ben Shapiro, joining in.

However, though the fund raised over $100,000 to restore the home, Walsh said some unknown person in the family has refused the money. He said the site will be offering a refund to all those who donated, but said tragically the charitable efforts were sabotaged by forces outside of his control.

UPDATE: “someone” in AOC’s abuela’s family told GoFundMe that she won’t take the money, even though AOC previously claimed that her grandma was in dire straits (and it was Trump’s fault). @AOC still hasn’t acknowledged this effort or thanked us. Here’s the email from GoFundMe: pic.twitter.com/MsM4ECLDX0

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) June 5, 2021

Walsh extended his gratitude to those who donated, saying they should be proud of their efforts and went on to suggest prayers for Ocasio-Cortez’s grandmother.